Reading Elementary Rockets Report: PRINCIPAL'S BLOG

Dear Reading Elementary "Rockets" Parents & Community Members,

As many of you know Act 46 as it is discussed will have a direct impact on Reading Elementary School. If you are NOT familiar with what's being planned, please check out the WCSU website HERE. This Wed., Sept. 28 at 6:30 PM, there is another important meeting at the WCSU office. Time is passing quickly before hard decisions have to be made. Will your voice be heard in the process? There are informational papers in the foyer at school if you'd like to learn more before you go Wed.

Kudos and heartfelt thanks to:

All of you who arrive and pick up your students promptly. We know you are all busy, but appreciate the great time management that you are modeling for your children!
All of you who attended the Morning Meeting Wed. morning!

Other Items of Interest:

Act 46 Committee Meeting - The next WCSU Act 46 Study Committee Meeting will be at 6:30 pm on September 28, 2016, at the Windsor Central Supervisory Union.

Volunteer Process - If you are willing to drive students on a field trip, chaperone, or even read to a class, it's important that you be "approved" and have the proper paperwork on file with the office. If you are interested in volunteering at any time throughout the year, please send in the appropriate paperwork. Please contact Teacher Libbet if you have questions.

Bag Lunch - We really appreciate the time and effort that it takes families to provide lunches from home. When students see what is on the their peers' trays, sometimes it upsets a child as they "want" what the others have on their lunch tray. Even though your child may say they only "want" a sandwich and a snack bag, they often request the fruit or vegetable we are serving at school.

Some families find it helpful to have a child choose a few "meals" a month that they eat school lunch. The guidelines for free and reduced lunch have changed, so if you didn't qualify before you might this time, so please consider applying even if you haven't done so before.

We are blessed to have such a frugal and nutritious food service director, but its a tough balancing act making sure there's enough for those who purchase lunch. She only makes what is ordered in the classrooms first thing, so that exact count is important. The quality and amount of healthy food a student gets for $2.75 for lunch and $1.50 for breakfast is amazing.

If you did send bag lunches, remember that we don't have a way to "heat" lunch and fresh fruits and vegetables always provide extra nutrition! For a few ideas on packing school lunches, here is ONE of a zillion websites with ideas.

Guidance Counselor Update- The Board approved the hiring of Shajen (pronounced Cheyenne) Lichtenstein as our .40(2 days a week) Guidance Counselor. She will be meeting the students this week with Mrs. Knight's this Wed. and Thurs. She is an experienced special educator and has outstanding references and will make a great addition to our team at RES! She'll have a section in this blog next Sunday.

Music for Lunch - During the daily 40 min. lunch, we have a five minute "music" break halfway through. Students enjoy their lunches without talking while the adults in charge play various types of music. This is nutritious measure to help those young stomaches digest their food and give their "appetite control" centers a chance to catch up. Several times we've listened to local artist Spencer Lewis.

What's "Go Noodle"? - Ask your child about "Go Noodle" that was introduced during library/tech time and is being used in several classrooms. This program offers all kinds of "movement" activities - from calming to energizing. You can sign up at home for a free account as well, check it out HERE. Many students are super active, but sometimes on rainy/snowy/cold days - it's nice to have a way to get active that's fun!

Back to School Night - Is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 6, 5:30 - 7 PM. More details to follow!

Picture Day - Picture Day has been changed to Wed., Oct. 19, so that ALL students are here that day. We have been assured that photos will be sent back to the school promptly so that pictures can be distributed during the holidays!

RES Sponsors Community Yard Sale - Sat., Oct. 8 - 9 AM - 2 PM - To honor the many volunteers and neighbors in Reading who supported one another during and after Tropical Storm Irene, RES announces the creation of a RES Kids Care club at our school. RES Kids Care also honors people from across the country who sent money, supplies, and expressions of support that helped us get back to work and school five years ago. Most importantly, the goal of RES Kids Care is to inspire and instill in Reading students that same community spirit as they go forward in their lives.

The inaugural event for "Kids Care" will be a town yard sale at RES on Saturday, October 8 from 9 am - 2 pm. To further the tradition of neighbor-helping-neighbor, half the proceeds will be used to start a children-in-need fund at RES. And to pay forward the help Reading received from other communities after Irene, Kids Care will donate the remaining proceeds to schools in Louisiana that were devastated by floods just days before school started, much as happened in our state.

So start cleaning out your garage and attic and reserve a spot in our field for October 8. A 10x10 site in our field is just $20 and a 20x10 is $30. Bring your own tables and tent or rent them from us for $5 each. You keep all the proceeds from what you sell. Please call the school at 484-7230 to reserve your spot OR SIGN UP ONLINE and send in or drop by your payment!

MESSAGES FROM OUR TEACHERS -

From Mrs. Faulkner - Pre-K Classroom Teacher:

Thank you to Teacher Libbet for our new doll bed; our dolls are much more comfortable now! Thank you to families who donated doll items and dress up items. They are much appreciated.

Hannah from VINS will join us this Tuesday to help us learn more about butterflies. We are very fortunate to be able to have her visit every month this year; we will share our time with Hannah with our kindergarten class. She will arrive at 8:00 and on this Tuesday we expect to go outside with her. Please send boots or extra socks and shoes for your child, as the grass is wet with dew in the mornings at this time of year.

Sometimes items do not get put where they belong, so to make sure your child’s sweaters/jackets are sent home with him/her, please label them. I have a laundry pen in our classroom that you are welcome to use.

Share time for October will be the week of October 3rd. Your child may bring something in any time during that week. In order to learn something new about our classmates and their lives away from school, we request that you help your child select something other than a toy. A souvenir from a family vacation, a photo of a special time or anything else that encourages conversation and questions from your child’s peers will help us work on these important skills.

If any of you are planning on helping with any driving for field trips (such as to our swim lessons), please fill out a “Request for Background Check” form ASAP and hand it to Mrs.Faulkner, Miss Amy or Teacher Libbet. This is a state requirement; it needs to be completed every year that you drive children.

If anyone has an unneeded garden hose, we would love to cut small sections for our “fire fighting” theme! Thank you!

MORE FROM OTHER TEACHERS NEXT WEEK!

OTHER WAYS TO HELP READING SCHOOL -

ASK YOUR FRIENDS/OUT-OF-TOWN RELATIVES/CO-WORKERS FOR BTFE!

COMMUNITY YARD SALE - Cleanout your garage and attic and reserve a spot in our field for October 8. A 10x10 site in our field is just $20 and a 20x10 is $30. Bring your own tables and tent or rent them from us for $5 each. You keep all the proceeds from what you sell. Please call the school at 484-7230 to reserve your spot OR SIGN UP ONLINE and send in or drop by your payment!

LUNCH & BREAKFAST MENU FOR THIS WEEK:

Lunch accounts should be paid in full each month. Please send in your payment if you have not already done so. If you need help complete the Free/Reduced Paperwork, we are here to help! ALL APPLICATIONS are kept confidential. Thank you!

Mon., Sept. 26 - Lunch: Fish Chowder, Whole Grain Roll, Grapes, Carrots & Snap Peas; Breakfast: Eggs in a Basket - The Regulars(yogurt, whole grain cereals, assorted fresh fruits and oj or apple juice or cider.
Tues., Sept. 27 - Garlic-Brown Sugar Chicken, Whole Grain Medley, Melon, Spinach, Potatoes; Breakfast: Oatmeal & Hardboiled Eggs - The Regulars
Wed., Sept. 28 - Scrambled Egg & Tofu Burrito on Whole Grain Tortilla, Oranges, Tomatoes, Shredded Iceberg Lettuce; Breakfast: Whole Wheat French Toast Bake w/Bacon Crumble - the Regulars
Thurs., Sept. 29 - Tangerine Beef Stir-Fry, Whole Grain Rice, Tangerines, Broccoli, Lentils; Breakfast - Cream of Wheat & Hard Boiled Eggs - the Regulars
Fri., Sept. 30 - Cheesy Noodles w/Ground Turkey (whole grain noodles), Apples, Mixed Green Salad; Rainbow Peppers & Avocados ; Breakfast - Omelet - the Regulars